Bank Chief Stay Silent on Emerald Deal
7 June 2005
ILLINOIS – As reported by the Chicago Sun-Times: "The head of a bank with 19 Chicago area locations refused to answer questions under oath Monday about an apparently secret deal he and a son struck to buy stock in Emerald Casino Inc. through an Emerald investor state lawyers say had links to organized crime.
"Parkway Bank & Trust Co. Chairman Rocco Suspenzi even invoked his 'Fifth, Sixth and 14th' Amendment rights to withhold answers when asked if Jeffrey Suspenzi was his son. Rocco Suspenzi also declined to confirm his age or say where he lived during the start of the second week of hearings before retired Judge Abner Mikva about whether Emerald's long-dormant gaming license should be revoked.
"Illinois Gaming Board lawyers set out to tie the Suspenzis and Parkway not only to Joseph Salamone -- the investor they've described as linked to the mob through a brother -- but also to the village of Rosemont and its mayor, Donald E. Stephens. The Gaming Board cited wrongdoing by Emerald in jettisoning its Rosemont casino plan in 2001.
"…The state's lawyers did not allege anything criminal about the Suspenzi family or Parkway's dealings, though their casino ownership deal came to light in 2003 after federal authorities subpoenaed documents about the matter. The feds haven't identified the purpose of that subpoena…"